Spider Plants

The Spider Plant (Chlorophytum Comosum) makes for an excellent houseplant. They're attractive and easy to care for. Though, as with any houseplant, it's possible to over or under water, they're much more tolerant than most. And they live practically forever!

Spider Plants have long, narrow leaves that come in subtle variations of dark green with yellow stripes, variegated speckles and others. They quickly grow to produce an abundance of foliage, making them a great decorating choice. As they grow, they'll tolerate a root bound condition very well.

Watering a Spider Plant takes very little effort, just don't overdo it. Any houseplant can suffer from root rot when the soil is kept too wet. A consistently moist earth with occasional drying out periods is best for this plant. They can go several days with no water at all, especially during the less active seasons of Fall and Winter.

If you notice the tips getting brown or spotted, you will do well to change the type of water they receive. If you've been using water from the tap, that might be okay depending on where you live. But some cities supply water with a relatively high concentration of chlorine and/or fluorine. These can damage your Spider Plant. Using collected rainwater or purified water without minerals will solve the problem.

Spider Plants are also very flexible about the amount of light they receive. They'll do well in indirect sun, but can endure very bright light for hours per day. The ideal is to provide them with a few hours of reflected light in an area that is not too cool and not too hot. They'll do great in an area of the house that is around 65F (18C), but will be fine if it decreases to 55F (13C) at night. That variation is part of their natural environment.

Spider Plants are very forgiving about fertilizer, but here again it's important not to overdo it one way or the other. A liquid NPK mixture applied every three to four months in the growing seasons is fine. No need to apply in Fall or Winter. That means only two to three feedings per year. Simple!

In the Summer they'll produce lovely, small, star-shaped white flowers. They grow along a stalk that becomes over three feet long. Stake the stalk if you notice any excessive lean or bending. Blooms may appear more than once and can develop in Spring or early Fall as well.

They make an excellent hanging basket, especially when they're older and have produced an abundance of leaves. But they can outgrow a pot, so you may have to divide and re-pot after two years. They'll reach a couple of feet wide and, even apart from the flower stalk, get two feet high. A healthy Spider Plant can grow enough to crack a clay pot.

Add a delightful look to your indoor garden with a houseplant that's easy to tend. Try a Spider Plant.